Thanks for permission to post! I figured we may as well take a shot at showing James....and did not realize what an undertaking it will be. He and I had our first ever conformation class last weekend, have our second 2moro. Suffice it to say it was totally embarrassing...neither of us knew what we were doing!

if you have the time and the personality to do it. Some folks hate being in the ring...I LOVE it! Just remember to relax and enjoy it...it's just a dog show, don't take it too seriously.

That being said, spend lots of time with your dog. Stop and stack him in strange places...get people to touch him all over so that it's not strange to him. Don't be afraid to obedience train him. He can easily learn the difference between the show ring, where you don't want him to sit, and obedience class, where you do. He'll love the time with you, and be a better show dog and pet because of the time you spend with him.

Find a good mentor in your area. You need someone who can teach you to properly groom a bulldog. It makes a huge difference in the presentation. If you don't know anyone who shows bulldogs, feel free to email me...I'll try to help you find someone who can teach you the basics.

You could hire someone but that can be VERY costly. I enjoy showing and have beaten pro-handlers, but also have lost to them. Remember this is a beauty contest. There are judges that don't care who is at the end of the leash, and others that will only put up the pros. You will learn which are which and who not to waste you entrie fee on. I was told that it can cost about 1,000.00 per point...so it can be an expensive hobby. I love being able to say I did it on my own. You can buy anything with enough money even a champion show dog.....I have seen it many, many times. It can get frustrating at times. Good luck

...i think i will try myself first. the idea of just buying him the points with a professional handler seems....like buying your way in. plus 1000 bucks a point is insane! not realistic for us AT ALL. we arent in a hurry and may never finish-- its not that important to us that we do with this dog.